Toorak Park fortress for Two Blues

GOOD teams turn their home game matches into a fortress.

So it is becoming for Prahran Assumption when it maintained its undefeated home record this season with a hard fought 18 point win over arch rival Therry Penola.

It wasn’t pretty, in fact at times it was downright ugly.

Kicking into a breeze the Two Blues burst out of the blocks with goals to comeback forward Tony Mirabella (2), pictured)  and Zac Podmore but Therry Penola upped their pressure and slammed on five unanswered goals to take an 18 point quarter-time lead.

The Two Blues gradually clawed their way back into the contest to level the scores at half-time.

The third quarter was a real arm wrestle with turnovers galore from both teams.

At three quarter-time the Two Blues trailed by seven points but coming home with the breeze.

Adam Collett snapped a goal from a scrimmage to level the scores.

Then ruckman Rory Brodie, tireless all day, passed to Mirabella who goaled to take the lead. It was a miraculous return by Mirabella who had 'retired' earlier in the season because of a chronic ankle injury.

But it was left to inspirational skipper James Musster to ice the game with his second major.

Therry Penola was restricted to one goal in the second half thanks to a miserly defence led by Joel Hume and Jonny Simonetta.

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 3-2 7-3 7-7 11-10 (76)

THERRY PENOLA 6-2 7-3 8-8 8-10 (58)

Goals. Mirabella 3, Clifford, Musster 2, Podmore, Henshaw, Collett, Jory.

Best. Brodie, Simonetta, Musster, Collett, Price, Hume.

RESERVES

An emphatic 96 point win by the much improved Reserves.

The half-time scoreline of 13-7 to 0-1 said it all.

Rugby convert Angus Fyfe, Jayke Murray and full-forward Blayne Dempsey who kicked 6-6 were dominant.

PRAHRAN ASSUMPTION 6-2 13-7  15-10 18-10  (110)

THERRY PENOLA 0-1 0-1 2-2 3-4 (22)

Goals Dempsey 6, Murray 4,  Fyfe 3, Bourchier 2, Noonan, Heatley, Graham,

Best. Fyfe, Murray, Dempsey, Rhodes, Noonan, Quinn.

THIRDS